Cities See a 'Bright Flight'

Highly Educated Americans Increasingly Move to More Affordable Metro Areas in South, West

Updated April 4, 2014 8:03 a.m. ET

Highly educated Americans are choosing cheaper metropolitan centers in the West and South over more dominant—and expensive—population centers on the coasts and former industrial hubs.

After flocking to areas with ample employment opportunities such as New York City and Los Angeles for years, the nation's most educated are fanning out in search of better jobs, lower housing costs and improved quality of life.